November, 10, 2016
Dear Members of the CMU Community,
I remain inspired by the extraordinary work you do, day in and day out, individually and collectively, for Carnegie Mellon University. At the same time, it is important that each of us lives a well-rounded and healthy life — that should be a central facet of the CMU Experience for all members of our community. With that in mind, I have decided, based on broad input from the CMU community and careful analysis by senior leadership, to extend the winter break by closing CMU campuses and programs on December 27, 28 and 29.
For most members of the university staff, this will provide an additional paid break, bridging official university holidays around Christmas and New Year’s to provide extended and uninterrupted time for yourselves and your families. Of course, a university is a complex institution, and this will affect other employees in a variety of ways. For more details, please see the Winter Break page on our Human Resources website.
Across various divisions, managers have worked hard to ensure that employees who must work here during these three days get to take a break in the months that follow. The plan also accounts for employees who fall outside of our usual benefits, including those who work for campus vendors, so they can benefit from this time away without being penalized financially by the extra days the campus is closed.
We have made specific plans, of course, to take care of a small group of students who remain on the Pittsburgh campus during this time. For campuses and programs outside Pittsburgh, I have asked the deans to adapt the idea of the break in a way that is appropriate to local circumstances; please see the Human Resources website and, as needed, consult with your appropriate administrative leader.
I hope this hiatus provides an opportunity for you to rest and recharge, within a period of extraordinary activity and momentum for CMU. During this season of gratitude, I also hope it reminds each of you how much my colleagues and I appreciate all of your contributions.
Sincerely,
Subra Suresh
President
Henry L. Hillman President’s Chair
Carnegie Mellon University